Faceplate



1943- w. R. SCHLAGE 2,327,070

FACE PLATE Filed. Feb. 17, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet l I [XI I Aug. 17, 1943.w sc L GE FACE PLATE Filed Feb. 17, I941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 [NI ILIV TOR.mm m. eS/oria a. BY

A TTORN Patented Aug. 17, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE V FACEPLATEWalter'R. Schlage, Burlingame, Califi, assignor to Schlage Lock Company,San Francisco, Calif., a. corporation of California ApplicationFebi-uary 17, 1941, Serial No. 379,186

6 Claims.

This invention relates to 'door locks, and especially to a face platefor use in conjunction with the latch bolt housing of a door lock.

There are a number of different types of door lock which are mounted orapplied toa door by the simple expedient of drilling two holes therein,one longitudinally through the edge of the door parallel to the oppositefaces of the door and the other at right angles thereto, or crosswisethrough the opposite faces of the door. In the first hole is inserteda'latch bolt housing containing a latch bolt and associated retractingmechanism, and in the second is inserted a spindle housing containing aspindle and rollback mechanism. In most instances the latch bolt housingis secured or anchored against removal by the spindle housing, as itpasses through the latch bolt housing, but even so the latch bolthousing is provided with a permanently secured face plate at its outerend which is fixed to the edge of the door by screws which furthersecures it against removal. When the latch bolt' housing is anchored bythe spindle housing, the face plate at the outer end could be entirelyeliminated, but

it is employed nevertheless because it lends a finish or ornamentalappearance to which the public has become accustomed.

The object of the present invention is generally to improve and simplifythe construction and operation of face plates of the character de- .1

scribed; to providea face plate which can be permanently or detachablysecured to the outer end of a latch bolt housing; to provide a faceplate which will frictionally secure the latch bolt housing wheninserted in a door until permanently secured by insertion of the spindlehousing; to provide a face plate which requires no screws or similarmeans to secure it in place; andfurther, to provide a face plate whichis simple and cheap to manufacture, which may be quickly and readilyapplied, and which may be formed by punch and die operation from anysuitable metal such as sheet brass, steel or otherwise.

The invention is shown by way of illustration in the accompanyingdrawings, in which Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a door,showing a latch bolt housing having a face plate secured on its outerend in a position where it is partially inserted in the door;

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the latch bolt housing full insertedand the face plate engaging the outer edge of the door;

Fig. 3 is a perspective View of the outer end of the latch bolt housingshown in Fig. 1, with the face plate removed;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a collar which cooperates with the faceplate'shown in Figs. 1 and 2; r

Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing the rear side of the face plateshown in Figs..1 and 2;

Fig. 6 is a horizontal section taken on line VI-VI of Fig. 2;

Fig. 7 is ahorizontalsection similar to Fig. 6 showing a modified formof face plate illustrated in Fig. 9; a V V Fig. 8 is a'perspective viewof the outer end of a latch bolt housing, showing the outer end flangedto receive the face plate shown in Fig. 9;

Fig. 9 is a perspective view showing the rear side of the face plateusedin conjunction with the latch bolt housing shown in Figs, 7 and 8;

Fig. 10 is a perspective view of the spindle housing; 7,

Fig. 11 is a horizontal section showing a hollow metal door, said viewalso showing a door lock installed therein and the outer end of thelatch bolt housing in section; T

Fig. 12 is a perspective view of a portion of the door illustrated inFig. 11 and the latch bolt housing and face plate before they are fullyinserted; V

Fig. 13 is a view similar to Fig. 12, showing the latch bolt housingfully. inserted and the "face plate engaging the outer edge of the door;

Fig. 14 is a perspective view of the face plate disclosed in Figs. 11,12 and 13; x g, V V

Fig; 15 shows a. modified form of latch bolt housing prior toapplication of the face plate;

and v Fig. 16 is a perspective view of the latch bolt housing shown inFig. 11, said view also showing the spindle and housing extendingthrough the latch bolt housing,

Referring to the drawings in detail and particularly to Figs. 1, 2, l0and 16, it will benoted that a type of door lock is illustrated whichmay be mounted or assembled in a door by the simple expedient of boringtwo holes therein, one through the edge of the door parallel to thefaces 2 and 3, as indicated at 4, and one at right angles or transversethereto, as indicated at 5. Insertable in the hole 4 is a latch bolthousing generally 7 indicated at B, and adapted to anchor the latch bolthousing against endwise removal from the hole is a spindle housing Cwhich extends through the opposite side walls 6'6 of thelatch bolthousing, and the hole 5; the spindle housin being in turn secured by apair of escutcheon plates D-D (see Fig. 11) which are screwed onopposite ends of the spindle housing to engage and clamp the oppositefaces of the door.

When a latch bolt housing is mounted and anchored in the mannerdescribed itbecomes apparent that a face plate at the outer end of thelatch bolt housing will be more or less unnecessary. Such face platesare nevertheless employed, and not only that, but they are usuallypermanently secured to the outer end of the latch bolt housing, and inaddition thereto are secured to the edge of the door by wood screws. Theonly excuse for employing a face plate at all is that it provides acertain amount of finish or ornamental appearance, and for that reasonis demanded by the buying public. The purpose of the present inventionis to provide a face plate of the character described which will notonly fill the demand of finish and ornamental appearance but also willserve other purposes hereinafter to be described.

"Referring to Figs. 1, 2, 5,'and"6, A indicates a faceplate having arectangular opening s'formed therein to permit th latch bolt 7 toproject therethrough. For'medon-e'ach side of the face plate is an arm3, ea'chof which isperiorated as at [0. The endsofthe arms arebentbacklon themselves to form a pair of springfingers l l. Cooperatingwiththe'face-plate sliownin Figs. 1 and'5 is a collar which is provided withan' annular flange I2, and a rectangular openingi' l which will registerwith the openingp (see Fig. =4). This collar is slipped over the'arms'ap'rior'to bending or forming the s'pring'fingers 1 I; and will thus beretained against removal when the fingers are bent. Will be notedthat'theop'pcsit'e -sides'6" 8-of the latch bolt housing adjacent theouter end thereof are punched or forced outwardly to formip'rotrusionsor detents I5,which enter the-perforations ill toretain the face plateagainst removal when applied.

In actual practice, if the lock is to be applied to a woodendoor theholes 4' and-Sare 'fir's'tbore d by a brace and bit'or like tool, andthus -are round in cross section. The latch -bolt"housi ng, 'on tlieother hand, is square or rectangular in cross -sectiongand open spaoes'fia 'at -opposite sides of the face plate "would be "left if i thecollar show'n in Fig. 4'were not employed. Hence, before the latch bolthousing -is=inserted in1the'holei l "the face plate is first -slippedover the outer-send. In doing so, the arms-*9 will snap over the detentsi5 and the face plate and collarwi'll be secured and will limit inwardmovement of the latch bolt housing when inserted. The :face plate A,together with the collar, will completely close the outer end of thehole with the exception of the opening 8 through which the latchbolt-extends, and the finish-and ornamental-appearance'required is thusobtained.

The collar should beyof the same-diameteras the hole, so as tocenter'thelatch bolt housing therein, but even though :the hole should beoversize, the spring fingers ;I [will center it,-a'nd not only that, butwill hold theouter endbfthe housing against rattling, a-nd willr-cushion it.

Also, the spring fingers will frictionally held the.

latch bolt housing against bothr ot'ation and endwise movement in thehole until ,it is 'flnallyanchored and securedin'placebyfhe'spindlehousirig and the escutcheonf plates. I 4

The form of face'plateshown in Figs Q'li'to 'fi is known asfadeta'chab'le" f rm, as it is hel only by the dete'nts and-springannsfand-assuc'h ina'y be quickly and readilyremcveddf a-chari e =-isBy-refer'ring'to Figs. f3. and 6, it

desirable. nently secured at the end of the latch bolt housing, forinstance, by the structure shown in Figs. 7, 8 and 9. In this structure,the outer end of the latch bolt housing is provided with two sideflanges |6-l6. The face plate proper (see Fig. 9) is provided with twoside extensions H to receive the flanges l6, and the face plate is alsoprovided with a series of spring-fingers 18. The

l) face plate is applied to the end of the housing shown in Fig. 8, andthe sides are then crimped or indented, as shown at l9, to permanentlysecure the face plate to the projecting flanges I6. This plate will haveall the advantages oi the :plate shown in Figs. 1 to 5, with theexception of detachability.

In Figs. 11 to 14, the latch bolt housing is -shownas mounted'on ahollow metal door and a square or rectangular hole 25 is formed in theedge 26 to receive the latch bolt housing. The face plate need only beslightl modified to be applicable. By referring to Fig. 14, two sidearms 21 are formedcn opposite sides of the face plate, and theyarelperforated'asat 28't0 receive the protrusions "29 formed on oppositesides of the "latch-bolt; housing. The arms I may have ya.springra'ction so: as to; snap voverthe protrusions. o-r theprotrusionsmaybe made 'suflicientiy long to. permit them .to' be' clenched overthegideeanns have the faceiplates permanentl'yzsecured. Thus themodifie'dform-of thefadexplate may be detachable or. permanently securedif desired.

I-n -Fig. 15, "a modified form of latch bolt hming' is shown. Thatis,the upperand loweredges of the-housingare-longitudinallyribbed to'sfifimand reinforce the housing a'nd to form 1m- Ways -such 'ribbingxof thehousing does want 10- terie're with theapplication of the face:plate-mar do the ribs show when. the -'iace plate -is smiled, as theoutenends of theribs-will be covered by the upper'and lower portionssome 3i of the faceplate.

From the foregoing description-it should be apparent thatfithe face.plate, whether employed in conjunction with doors :constructed-of woodor metal, may be detachably-or permanently-seemed to theouter'end.ofxthe latch bolt housing. It may bemad'e'fromcomparativelythin sheet metal,:either brass, -steel, or othermetal,bypunch and dieloper'ationsyand as -such can-be cheaply manufactured.

While "certain -"features of I the invention lmvc been more or less:specificaiiy described for} mirposes o'f illustration, it is tobeunderstood that various changes "may be restored to, all with-'11the-scope of-the appended claims.

Having thus described 'and i illustrated my invention, what I claim-anddesire to sec-ure by Letters Patent is:

A device of-tl'le 'cliaract'ei' clesci'ibcdcomprising a face'plate'having an-opening formed therein to receive andguide a latch'boltgapair of arms formed one on each side of tliaplate andextending-*rearwar'dly therefrom; a flexible linger on eacharm, and acollar supported by theiarms and engageablewiththe rear face-oi the iaceplate.

2. A face platefor latch belt iioueings are'insertable in a'hole drilledin' thezedge'of a doorcomprising: a face plate t for thc outercnd of thelatch bolt housinggmbain efjprojeeldens on the exterior of (the;latchibolti housing; one ion each: side thereof/and aFpair lot:resilientrarmson the face plate insertable in thegl'mlei-nrtlaerdonr Theface plate may also be permaand disposed between the inner surface ofthe hole and exterior of the latch bolt housing, said arms havingretaining means to snap over and engage the projections on the latchbolt housing to secure the face plate against removal.

3. A face plate for latch bolt housings which are insertable in a holedrilled in the edge of a door comprising a face plate for the outer endof the latch bolt; housing, a pair of projections on the exterior of thelatch bolt housing, one on each side thereof, and a pair of resilientarms on the face plate insertable in the hole in the in the door anddisposed between the inner surface of the hole and exterior of thelatch. bolt housing, said arms having retaining means to snap over andengage the projections on the latch bolt housing to secure the faceplate against removal, and a resilient finger on each arm engageablewith the inner face of the hole which is drilled in the door to centerthe latch bolt hous- H door and disposed between the inner surface ofthe hole and exterior of the latch bolt housing, and perforations in thearm adapted to receive the projections on the opposite sides of thelatch bolt housing to secure the face plate against removal.

5. A face plate for latch bolt housings which are insertable in a holedrilled in the edge of a door comprising a face plate for the outer endof the housing, and a pair of arms formed one on each side of the faceplate and engageable with the exterior surface of the latch bolthousing, said arms being bent back on themselves to form a flexiblefinger on each arm, and sa d fingers engaging the inner surface of thehole drilled in the door to frictionally secure the face plate againstremoval.

6. A face plate for latch bolt housings which are insertable in a holedrilled in the edge of a door, comprising a face plate for the outer endof the housing, a pair of flexible arms formed one on each side of theface plate and engageable with the exterior surface of the latch bolthous' ing, a retaining member on each side of the latch bolt housing andmeans on the flexible arms en-

